If you’re a seasoned veteran of the outdoors or a beginner looking to put mileage on your boots, these hiking trails will offer something for everyone. While the famous Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail get all the glory, here is a sample of a few lesser-known but equally beautiful hikes from all corners of the contiguous United States. Take your family and your pets and discover the natural beauty of the USA via these great outdoor adventures.
Hanging Lake, Colorado
Located in the White River National Forest near Glenwood Springs in northwestern Colorado, this hike features the dramatic geologic formation known as Hanging Lake. Created when part of a lake bed was thrust upward by a fault line, the lake features a beautiful waterfall that spills into the central basin. The lake’s edge glitters with calcite formations from the dissolved calcium carbonate in the water. Due to the fragility of these calcite formations, disturbing the lake’s waters is prohibited. This phenomenon ordinarily happens in underground cave systems, but here you have a rare glimpse of one above the Earth’s surface.
The hike to the lake itself can be done in a day. The rocky, steep, switch-backed trail runs 1.2 miles long and climbs to an approximate altitude of 1,000 feet. The trail is great for beginner to intermediate hikers who are looking for a challenge. Be advised that cellphone service coverage on the trail is non-existent, so prepare accordingly. Hanging Lake would undoubtedly be a hiking experience your family will remember forever; it is a true geologic wonder and a hidden gem among hiking trails.
Island Creek Forest Walk Trail
The epic Island Creek Forest Walk Trail is located in the beautiful Croatan National Forest in coastal North Carolina. The trail is flat with no elevation gain, but it presents plenty of opportunities to discover wildlife in their natural habitats. The trail also includes interpretive signage along its whole length for identifying terrestrial and marine wildlife. School-age children will have so much fun that they won’t even know they’re learning something. The 1/2 mile hiking trail is perfect for beginners and families with young children. Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water and bug spray if you plan to take the hike.
Cinder Cone Trail
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The once-in-a-lifetime epic Cinder Cone Trail hike is a natural wonder in California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park. If you’ve always wanted to see Yellowstone but want to avoid the massive crowds, this national park may be for you. Like Yellowstone, it has hydrothermal features like geysers, mud pots, and hot springs. The park has easily accessible volcanic features like cinder cones, including one you can climb.
With a length of 4 miles and an elevation gain of 846 feet, the Cinder Cone Trail is a day trip for intermediate hikers. Loose sand-like cinder makes up most of this loop trail, so footing will not be easy. Consider the bragging rights, though: you can tell your friends you climbed a volcano. Wouldn’t that be epic! Please stay on the marked trail to avoid damaging delicate formations.
Bubble Rock Trail
Located in Acadia National Park in Maine, the Bubble Rock Trail is a fun hiking trail for families with teens and young adults. With an elevation gain of 515 feet and a length of 1.6 miles, this hike is attainable for most people in good health. Due to its steepness, it’s a moderate workout, but it offers scenic vistas of the hills and Atlantic Ocean along the trail. At the top of the hiking trail is the famous Bubble Rock, a precariously perched glacial erratic boulder that’s a throwback to the last Ice Age. Many people try to push it off, resulting in hilarious photographs.
Naches Peak Loop
Found in Mount Rainer National Park in Washington, the Naches Peak Loop is family-friendly and can be done in one day. With an elevation gain of 636 feet and a total distance of 3.3 miles, the hike requires some preparation, such as obtaining a Northwest Forest Pass. The hiking trail itself skirts around Naches Peak, making a circle. It offers unspoiled views of Mount Rainier and access to lush wildflower meadows, making it one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the USA. Be sure to take a camera with you to capture some of the beautiful scenery.
Grotto Falls Trail
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The Smoky Mountains are a treasure unto themselves. Grotto Falls Trail is part of a more extensive trail network outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a town nestled in the mountains. The trail has an elevation gain of 585 feet and a length of 2.6 miles roundtrip. This trail is moderate to difficult due to being rugged, steep, and rocky. Your efforts will be rewarded at the trail’s end with the sight of a beautiful 25-foot waterfall splashing into a dazzling pool that’s great for a post-hike swim. For the more daring, a side trail leads behind the waterfall itself.
Stowe Pinnacle Trail
Outside of picturesque Stowe, Vermont is Stowe Pinnacle, a part of the Green Mountains. Here, you can make your best impression of Julie Andrews and sing about how the hills are alive with the sound of music if you want. The Stowe Pinnacle Trail is a moderate to strenuous day hike, with an elevation gain of 1,561 feet and a roundtrip length of 3.1 miles. In the fall, this trail offers an unmatched view of foliage. Bring your camera; you’ll want memories of this hiking trail.
Final Thoughts
These seven trails offer a variety of difficulties, elevations, and views of the scenic natural beauty of places all across the United States. From Maine to North Carolina, west to Colorado, further west to California and Washington, these trails are great ways for you, your loved ones, your friends, or your students to see just how diverse the landscapes and wildlife of the U.S. are. If you’re looking for great stops on a trip, these trails will be right up your alley.
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